R&F.ca Weekly Update
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- Published on Friday, 26 February 2016 02:30
- Written by editor
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A GLIMPSE OF BLACK WORKERS' HISTORY IN VANCOUVER
By Daniel Tseghay
British Columbia isn’t known for its black population. Only about a single per cent of the greater Vancouver area is populated by black people. Those who’ve been here have been displaced, like the members of Vancouver’s Hogan’s Alley. But black people have been here. And the black experience has also been a labour experience.
Racist attacks and discrimination forced black people out of California in the mid-19th century, bringing them to Vancouver Island and areas around the lower Fraser River. They worked as skilled tradesmen and general labourers. Around the Fraser River, the abundance of salmon meant they worked as canners. Read more!
LETTERS FROM SASKATCHEWAN'S INMATES
By Denise Leduc
In late 2015 and again in January 2016, hunger strikes were initiated by inmates in Saskatchewan’s prisons over food issues. There were complaints of uncooked eggs, and meals that were nutritionally unsound.
The premier of Saskatchewan, Brad Wall, flippantly replied, “If you really don’t like the prison food, there’s one way to avoid it, and that’s don’t go to prison.”
On the surface, this may seem reasonable to some. It might be easy to dismiss the concerns of inmates, yet it is important to reflect upon the bigger picture. Read more!
GROWING TOMATOES IN THE ERA OF FREE TRADE
By John W. Warnock
Southwestern Ontario is the historic home of Canadian tomato growers. The bulk of the crop goes to processing, and since 1909 the dominant corporation had been H. J. Heinz, a food giant based in Pittsburgh. But in 2013 the Heinz Corporation was bought by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (26 per cent) and 3G Capital (51 per cent), based in Brazil. It was soon announced that they were planning to close their plant in Leamington. The story has been a snapshot of what has happened to the manufacturing industry in Ontario following the free trade agreements with the United States. Read more!
NANAIMO GOLF CLUB WORKERS LOCKED OUT: AN END IN SIGHT?
By Daniel Tseghay
In April of 2015, the Nanaimo Golf Club locked out 24 food and beverage workers after they served a strike notice. The workers, represented by UNITE HERE Local 40, included the chef, bartenders, cooks, servers, dishwashers and janitors.
Despite coming to agreement on a number of issues, including health care, the two sides remain in a deadlock. The employer insists on reducing the pay for entry-level employees and increasing the probationary pay period. Read more!
Check out our weekly labour news update every Monday for a summary of the past week's top labour news stories, and our feature labour video every Saturday! @rankandfilca Youtube r53 | r54
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